Check-row corn-planter



(ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. B. TAIT. CHECK ROW GORN PLANTER.

N0. 245,028. Patented Aug. 2,1881

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(ModeL) '2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

v P. B. TAIT. CHECK ROW CORN PLANTER.

No. 245,028. Patented Aug. 2,1881.

. w m @MM/K in V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FELIX, B. 'IAIT, on DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

CH ECK-ROW GORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,028, dated August2, 1881. Application filed November 29, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it mayconcern Be itknown that I, FEL1X'B'.TAIT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Check-RowCorn-Planters, of which the following is a specification.'

My invention relates to improvements in check-row corn-planters in whichthe dropping mechanism is operated by a wire or cord havin g knots orstops thereon; and it consists, first, in the arrangement of afour-tooth ratchet wheel and a pawl pivoted to anoscillating arm toimpart an intermittent rotary motion to the transverse shaft thatoperates the seed-disks by the action of the knots or stops of the wireor cord on the fingers thereto attached; second, of a weighted pawl soconstructed and arranged as to lock the ratchet and driving pawl at theterminus of each forward stroke; third, the combination of the abovedevices with suitable gearing for operating the seeddi'sks and lowerdrops. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- V Figure 1 is a transverse verticalsection on the dotted lines as m, Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is a bottom view ofcircular plate, showing gearing and teeth for operating lower drop. Fig.3 is an end View of four tooth ratchetwheel and double pawls beforestroke is made. Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3, showing position ofparts after stroke is made and the parts locked. Fig. 5 is a plan ofFig. 3, showing shaft and pinionwheel that operates the seed disks orplates, the seed box or plates shown by dotted lines.

Fig. 6' is an end view, showing the guides on the bar and the wire asapplied. The dotted lines represent the terminus of its back stroke.

A is the seed-box constructed in the usual manner. B is a perforatedseed-disk.

G is a circular plate provided with beveled gear 0 on the under side,and also with internal teeth, 0 c.

D is the seed-tube, and E the furrow-opener. This seed-tube is open inthe back part. F is a lever-valve pivoted at f, the lower part, f, ofwhich is bent so as to fit the inside of the tube, and retains the cornuntil the lever-valve is opened by the upper end impinging on the G is ashaft preferably made of iron tubing.

H is a bevel-pinion thereon that engages with the bevel-gearc.Iisafourrtoothratchet-wheel fastened to the end of the shaft G. J is aplate fastened to the frame j.

K is a pivoted arm or lever swinging on the shaft between the plate Jand the ratchetwheel I. This arm is provided with fingers is k, Fig. 5,in which the check-row wire or cord is placed. L is a pawl pivoted onthe arm K. M is a weighted pawl pivoted to the lower extremity of theplate J, and is designed to stop the rotation of the shaft G byterminating the forward stroke of the pawl L, thus forming a dead-lockor stop to the entire dropping mechanism, as its motive power isdependent on the arm and fingers K and k k, and which does in turnreceive its motion from the knots or stops on the wire or cord that isstretched across the field.

By reference to Fig. 6 on second page of drawings it will be seen thatthe wire or cord does not cross the planter, but passes along the side.The pulleys Q serve as a guide to the wire or cord, as does also thepulleys P p to keep it between the fingers k k of the arm K, while thearm is vibrated forward and back by the stops on the wire and thespring.

The operation is as follows, viz: The checkrow wire or cord providedwith suitable knots or stops (the distance apart it is desired to plantthe hills of corn) isplaced in the forked fingers k 70. As the machineis drawn across the field the knots cause the arm to vibrate from theposition shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4. The arm being pivotedon the shaft is returned by a suitable spring for another stroke to theposition shown in Fig. 3. By the vibration of this arm the pawl L, whichis engaged with one of the teeth of wheel I, causes the ratchet to turnone-fourth of a revolution. As the ratchet revolves the tooth impingeson the inside of the lower arm, m, of the pawl M, and lowers the pointuntil after the following tooth passes the end of the lower arm. Whenthe arm and lever are in the position shown in Fig. 4 they form a lockor stop to prevent any further movement by the pawl L fitting in betweenthe ratchet-wheel and the inside of the pawl M at m, forcing the lateralprojection of the pawl up-against the ratchet-wheel at m, thus forming alock to the shaft. This pawl has a weighted projection, N, so as toretain it in the position shown in Fig. 3, after the pawl L is liftedfrom its locked position. This movement of the ratchet revolves theshaft one-fourth turn, thereby operating the plateO through the pinion Hand bevel-gear 0. This causes the plate 0 to revolve. This plate has anut, c, the upper end of which is made square or oval, and with acorresponding recess in the upper plate, B, so as to cause said plate torevolve therewith. The corn passes through the perforations b 11 intoperforations in the plate 0, and thence to the lower drop, the internalteeth, 0 0', opening the lower drop by impinging in the upper end of thelevervalve F.

The devices shown are used in duplicate at each end of the shaft, so asto plant two hills of corn at one time.

The ratchet-wheel, with its pawls and shaft, can be used with otherintermediate devices between the shaft and the mechanism in theseed-box, and the plate 0 and lever-valve F can be used with othermechanism to cause the plate to revolve.

I am aware that prior to my invention checkrow attachments have beenmade with transverse shaft having ratchets for transmitting motionthereto. I therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly; but

Having thus described my invention, what 39 I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a check-row planter having a trans verse shaft, in combinationwith a i'ourtooth ratchet-wheel, the pawl L, attached to the piv- 5 otedarm K, and the weighted locking-pawl M, pivoted to the plate or hangerJ, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a check-row planter, the combination, with the transverse shaft G,of the ratchet 1, 4o arm K, pawl L, Weighted locking-pawl M, and plateor hanger J, in their relative positions, substantially as herein shown,and for the purpose described.

3. In a check-row planter, the combination, 5 with the transverse shaftG and bevel-pinion H, of the seed-plate 0, having corresponding teeth 0on its face, and of the cam-shaped groove 0, to operate the lower drop,substantially as shown and described.

FELIX B. TAIT.

Witnesses J OHN S. BDIBY, CHARLES P. HONSUM.

